


Accidents

by Not_You



Series: It's Weird When Shaw Is Nice [9]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Angst, M/M, Multi, Panicking Charles, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-05
Updated: 2012-12-05
Packaged: 2017-11-20 08:53:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/583518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Not_You/pseuds/Not_You
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shaw does his best to be open-minded.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Accidents

The spring Anya turns eight, Charles and Mother are both worried. She's not sure what they're worried about, yet, but it seems to get worse the closer to Father's return they are, and that makes no sense at all. They all love Father, and he has never been anything but good to them. Mother is stonewalling questions and so is Charles, which is much more worrying. Poor little David is aware of it, too. He's nearly four and sees far too much with his wide, blue eyes. Every time Mother and Charles fret or argue he wails and screams, even if they're rooms away from him. It's very wearing, and it hurts to see the guilt on their faces as they soothe him and hush him. He can still barely talk in any language but Stonetongue, but he's very clever and Mother is already teaching him mathematics that Anya didn't learn until just last year.

When Father finally does get back, Mother and Charles are clearly dreading it, and Anya is furious with them, doing her best to welcome Father home properly even if they won't. Father is always tired when he comes back, so he barely seems to notice how odd they're acting. David hides behind his sister the way he always does. The older he gets the easier a time he has recognizing this enormous and gruff stranger as his father, but it takes him a moment each time. At last he comes out and lets Father scoop him up and kiss his little blue streaks. Father can't speak Stonetongue, but he and David always come to understand each other well enough.

Charles feels sick, and he's not sure if it's the baby he knows he's having or sheer anxiety. They both have their permission to bed others and Erik used it much more often before Charles joined the marriage, but one of their neighbors to the far west had sent such a charming emissary that they had taken advantage of Sebastian's clause about others. Part of that clause is his wrath if they conceive with anyone else. He will accept a bearing son with madsign with a smile, but god help them if they produce anything illegitimate. And now they must have. They had been so careful, but the timing makes it impossible that it's Sebastian's, and Erik has been sterile since the fever, so that only leaves the emissary and Charles isn't sure he believes Erik's assurances that Sebastian won't send him home in disgrace.

Still, Sebastian is so exhausted that it takes him a while to notice. He takes his usual bath and then comes to join them, wrapping his arms around both of them in almost the same moment he falls asleep. It's Charles's weeping that wakes him up in the middle of the night, and he blinks, fuzzy and confused. "What's wrong, little one?" He asks, pulling Charles close, dismayed when he only starts to cry harder.

"Charles?" Erik murmurs on the other side of Sebastian, sitting up in the dark as Charles starts to wail in earnest. Sebastian gathers Charles into his arms and tries to soothe him as Erik lights the lamp.

"Dearest, what's wrong? Please." Charles answers by grabbing his hand and directing it, pushing it against his belly. Which is much rounder than usual. "Oh." He tries to keep the chill out of his voice since Charles obviously feels bad enough, but it's hard. He trusted them, damn it all, and it hurts to have that trust betrayed.

"We took precautions, Sebastian. You can't blame Charles for an accident."

He groans, and sighs. "I suppose not. Stop crying, Charles. I won't farm the child out or send you away. It will be my ward and not my own child, but it will live here and be treated as well as Anya and David." Charles is still sniffling, but seems calmer. "So," Sebastian goes on, "who is the father of my ward?"

"Stark's chamberlain," Erik tells him, and Sebastian has to laugh.

"Well, you could do far worse."

"He only fucked Charles once, and we jacketed him first. This is really quite remarkable."

Sebastian softens to hear how unlikely this whole situation is, and how much they have been worrying about his reaction, and reassures both that he loves them as much as ever. Charles sleeps at last, cuddled close. Erik nuzzles the nape of Sebastian's neck. 

"I'm glad to find you so reasonable, my lord."

"Mm. Don't tell the ettins."


End file.
